The Rise of Chrisitianity

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Recommended: Christians in the Roman Empire

In the latter part of the 1st century A.D, Rome literally looked similar to hell. While the vile emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, or Nero sat in his palace playing the lyre, Rome cauterized. Why did Nero condone the scorching of his beloved city of Rome? Some say it was to build a brand new amphitheatre, others say he was of unsound mind. Either way, Rome burned to the ground. But Nero still had one problem, who was to take the blame for the complete and utter annihilation of Rome? That dilemma was easily solved. Nero despised Christians, as did most of Rome. Nero tortured some suspected Christians into "confessing" that they had started the fire, and then reported to the media that it was the Christians fault and that a crackdown on Christians had begun. So began the 249 year persecution of the Christian church. After Nero died in 69 A.D, the Year of the Four Emperors caused a decline in the persecution of the church. But toward the closing of the reign of Domitian, the persecution began to recommence. Steady persecution...

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